List of political parties in South Korea

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Political parties in South Korea lists political parties in South Korea. South Korea has a multi-party system, in which parties have a chance of gaining power alone.

The parties

There are currently five political parties represented in the National Assembly of South Korea:

Uri Party (열린우리당, Yeollin Uri-dang), led by Kim Geun Tae.
*A centrist-liberal party. It is the party of President Roh Moo-hyun and had a majority in the National Assembly after the 2004 election. The party gains its support from the younger generation and the Jeolla region. It gained support through its opposition to the impeachment of President Roh. It won 32 out of 49 seats in Seoul, 44 out of 62 in Incheon and Gyeonggi, confirming that a majority of voters supported the President. However, its majority status was broken after by-elections in several districts, and it lost more seats in October 2005. It has a very similar political ideology to the Democratic Party. (143 seats)
Grand National Party (한나라당, Hannara-dang), led by Kim Young Seon (temporary).
*A right-wing, conservative party. It is the largest opposition party in the National Assembly and leads the opposition camp. It is the heir of South Korea's traditionally conservative political elite. It gains its support from the conservative voters, rural areas, and the Gyeongsang region. The party supported the impeachment of Roh, suffered a loss of support, but won a majority in North Gyeongsang and South Gyeongsang regions and retained the 100 seats necessary to block constitutional changes. It has won back more seats in by-elections. (127 seats)
Democratic Labour Party (민주노동당, Minju Nodong-dang), led by Moon Sung-Hyun.
* A left-wing, social-democratic party. It gains its support from farmers, industrial factory workers, and progressive young intellectuals. It lost one seat in a by-election. (9 seats)
Democratic Party (민주당, Minju-dang), led by Han Hwa-gap
* It took part in the last elections as the "Millennium Democractic Party." It gains support from provinces of Jeolla. It was formerly the major liberal party and the second-largest party prior to the election, but sustained the biggest loss in the backlash following its leading role in the impeachment of Roh, as much of its support shifted to the Uri Party, with which discussions to merge are likely. It gained two seats in later by-elections. (11 seats)
People First Party (국민중심당, Gukmin Jungsim-dang), led by Sim Dae-pyung and Shin Kook-hwan.
* The party based in the central provinces of Chungcheong. The group absorbed the small opposition United Liberal Democrats also based in the region. (5 seats)

The following political parties are not currently represented in the National Assembly:

Socialist Party (사회당, Sahoe-dang)
Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front (illegal, linked to North Korean Workers' Party of Korea)

List of political parties in South Korea

The parties

See also